The Best Ways to Stop Dogs From Digging

Sometimes dogs need a little guidance when learning new tricks or behaviors. While dogs make great companions and friends most of the time, sometimes they can cause trouble by ruining furniture, chewing on shoes and even digging holes in your backyard. Stopping your puppy from doing these bad deeds may take some time and patience, but there is always more than one solution for every problem. When your dog is digging, don't fret --- depending on your dog's personality various methods can help stop this unwanted behavior.

  1. Keep Them Busy

    • Give your dog plenty of exercise and running around time. If your dog is too kept up, it may be anxious and excited and may just want to get its energy out. Taking your dog on walks and runs may eliminate some of the excess energy that causes it to dig. Add some toys to the area where your dog normally digs. It may be missing some essential toys and items to keep it busy. If you can, purchase another dog as a playmate if you believe your dog is just anxious and needs entertainment. If possible, create a designated "digging area" for your dog for acceptable digging. Reinforce this with positive reactions, treats and toys when your dog uses the correct digging area.

    Discourage Digging

    • Bury chicken wire where your dog digs to make the spot less attractive. When your dog digs, he will not like the texture of the wire and may move on and completely stop digging in the spot altogether. You can also cover the dig spots with rocks and other items to block access for your dog.

    Blocking Access

    • Aside from using chicken wire to prevent your dog from digging below, there are other ways to keep your dog fenced in if it is attempting to run or likes escaping your yard. You can place rocks and other barriers along the fence line if your dog is attempting to dig underneath the fence. You can readjust the fence by burying it deeper within the ground 1 to 2 inches, increasing the digging difficulty for your dog. Anchor chain link fence along the area of the fence to discourage your dog's presence as it will be uncomfortable for them to walk on.